MUSIC: Cyprus prepares for Eurovision shortlist

Cyprus will host the first qualifier event on Sunday to select the ten best of its 20 hopefuls vying for the final of this year’s Eurovosion song contest to be held in Vienna on May 19-23.

During the January 18 selection process, the jury of three former Eurovision song contest entrants Elena Patroklou (1991), Alex Panayi (1995 and 2000) and Despina Olympiou (2013), as well as music producer and radio host Tasos Trifonos, will be enhanced by Christer Bjorkman (Eurovision Song Contest 2013 Producer and Sweden's Head of Delegaton) and Dimitris Kontopoulos (composer of past Eurovision entries).
Host CyBC selected two more songs from the sixth and final audition show that was televised on Sunday, January 11, with “Without Your Love” by Panagiotis Koufogiannis and “Shake Dat” by Kyriakos Georgiou. They join the following qualifiers:
Christina Tselepou – In These Arms;
Valence – Scared;
Pieros Kezou – Said it All Before;
Maria Moskofian and Christiana Chatziiordanous – Sailing Ships, Pirates And Dragons;
Ioanna Protopapa – Beat Of My Heart;
Eva Diva – Come And Fight For Freedom;
Emily Haralambous – Right In;
Charalampous “Luna” Iosif -I Wanna Dance (I Say Tempo);
Maria Evangelou – Still;
Eleni Irakleous – Dawn;
Doody – Magic;
Charis Savva & Nearchos Evaggelou – Dila Den Agapo;
Christos Rialas – Mine;
Minus One – Shine;
Giannis Karagiannis – One Thing I Should Have Done;
Yuri – Victorious;
Apollonia – Don’t Give Up On Me (Just Yet); and.
Hovig – Stone In A River.